Lance Raymundo bounces back from gym accident

Lance Raymundo cele- brated his birthday on Wednesday night in a posh restaurant located at the Greenhills Shopping Center. It was a thanksgiving dinner arranged by his parents after Lance survived an accident last March when his face was damaged after a barbell fell on his face while working out in the gym. It was a life-threatening accident and Lance considers it a miracle that he survived the ordeal.

The singer-actor said he was prepared to accept his fate – that he probably won’t be able to get his face back. Even his doctor said that there was a slim chance that Lance’s face will be restored. But credit it to his unwavering faith in God and the power of prayers, Lance miraculously surpassed the ordeal that almost destroyed his career.

That he was back on his feet and celebrating his birthday was a miracle itself. “I would say this is my most meaningful birthday celebration ever,” Lance told the press at the thanksgiving dinner which was attended by family, friends and colleagues in the industry. And he’s even more excited to get back on track and resume his singing and acting career.

“The doctors were candid enough to tell my family that my life was really in danger. The fact that I was able to survive and be with you tonight to celebrate my birthday is really something to be thankful. It is really a rebirth,” he said. Lance had to undergo two medical procedures: the first one involved the life-threatening part and next was the physical (which involved reconstructing his face). He had to wait for one month before the second procedure could be done.

So how is he adjusting to his new life? “It’s now normal. With regards to my face, the first time I saw my new face in the mirror, I was surprised. Medyo nag-iba nga nang konti and after they showed my pictures, there was an overwhelming positive response, especially in the networking sites that could be nasty to celebrities. It made life easier for me when I learned about the generally good feedback,” said Lance.

Of course, Lance recognizes that even if he went through a life-threatening experience, there would be haters and bashers. Lance said this was probably because they didn’t understand what really happened to him.

“Sabi ng mga bashers, gusto lang daw magyabang kaya nagbuhat ako ng mabigat which fell on my face. But it wasn’t so. Kaya ko naman buhatin ang weight na iyon pero accident talaga ang nangyari. But I didn’t want to press charges against the gym or against my trainer because accident naman ang nangyari,” said Lance who even talked to the gym to hire his trainer back who was fired after the accident. That only goes to show how good-natured Lance really is. It was his decision not to press charges, something that his parents understood albeit reluctantly at first.

But Lance did think that his face would probably not be restored anymore as his attending physician said that there is a slim chance that the damage could be repaired. “Hearing him say that, I already planned what I intended to do with my life just in case that happens. Mabubuhay ka naman kahit na ano ang face mo. Hindi naman kailangan na cute ka o gwapo ka. What happened to me was really a miracle. It is a combination of talented doctors and really strong prayers. Kasi ‘yung talent ng mga doctors, it is also a gift from God,” he added.

It was a good thing that Lance was able to keep himself awake after the accident. Since he had finished a pre-Med course, Lance was aware that if he sleeps, he probably might slip into a coma and lose his consciousness. “I really kept myself awake and I could really feel the pain. My face was really damaged beyond recognition. Actually, the pictures that we showed you were even better. They were not able to take my pictures at my worst state,” he revealed.

Also present at the thanksgiving party was director Elwood Perez who was taking videos of the event which will be included in the film titled “The Miracle Man” featuring Lance in the lead role.

“It’s a full length that is inspired by what happened to me. This movie had been in the development for the past 10 years which Direk Elwood wrote and then he included the portion about my story. It was my story which inspired Direk Elwood to revive this 10-year-old project. When the producer saw what happened to me, he told Direk Elwood to get my story and have me as the lead actor. Use my story as an element of the movie kaya in an instant, I have a new movie,” Lance related.

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Many are wondering why Ellen Adarna was billed as “introducing” in the movie “My Illegal Wife” when she has already played the lead role in the 2013 Gil Portes movie “Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle.” She also appeared as the manananggal in GMA Films’ “Basement.”

“My Illegal Wife” is Ellen’s first project under Skylight/Star Cinema so that is probably why they billed her as “introducing” in the film. She has done comedy in “Bubble Gang” when she was still with GMA-7 but her stint in “My Illegal Wife” is her first comedy assignment for the big screen. She plays Clarize, with a Z, while Pokwang plays Clarise. She is the real girlfriend of Zanjoe Marudo, but when he got amnesia, Pokwang made him believe that she is his wife, hence the title “My Illegal Wife.” They will have a confrontation scene where they will spoof Angel Locsin and Maja Salvador in “The Legal Wife.”

Ellen says she enjoyed herself working with Pokwang and Zanjoe, same with the rest of the cast members. She is also a mainstay of the afternoon drama “Moon of Desire.”

She doesn’t mind being tagged as a sexy star. “We are paid to look good and if they like such kind of image for me, it suits me fine. But I don’t think of myself as sexy,” says Ellen who acts well, as proven by her work in “Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle.”

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Should JC Tiuseco change his screen name? This was what some members of the entertainment press asked the first grand winner of “Survivor Philippines” at the launch of the new GMA afternoon show “The Half Sisters” last Tuesday. But JC said he had been known as such when he started in showbiz so he doesn’t see any reason in changing his name.

Since he won “Survivor Philippines” in 2008, JC had been doing shows in GMA-7, mostly in dramas. He says he is happy with the way his career has gone, and while some people might feel his career is moving at a slow pace, JC believes the pacing is just right. With regards the roles that had been given to him, he says he ought to do them for his own good.

He is now being managed by Popoy Caritativo, who also manages Dennis Trillo and Tom Rodriguez. He talked to Popoy last November about the possibility of him being taken under his wing. He parted amicably with former manager Jonas Gaffud, who is more identified with  discovering beauty queens.

In the new series “The Half Sisters,” JC will play the role of the best friend of Jomari Yllana who discovers the secret about Jomari’s daughters (played by Barbie Forteza and Thea Tolentino).